Malavika’s Mumbaistan: Star-Studded Reception

It was a star-studded wedding reception for Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra on Monday evening, when all roads seemed to lead to the Grand Hyatt at Santacruz, the chosen venue for the festivities

It was a star-studded wedding reception for Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra on Monday evening, when all roads seemed to lead to the Grand Hyatt at Santacruz, the chosen venue for the festivities. Jain, the son of Rima (the daughter of the late Raj Kapoor) and businessman Manoj Jain, who had made his debut in ‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil’, had proposed to his longtime GF Anissa, the daughter of a well-heeled SoBo clan last year.

Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra. (Armaan Jain/Instagram)

From Sharad Pawar, Amitabh Bachchan and Nita Ambani, to Manoj and Rima’s inner circle of friends such as Supriya and Sadanand Sule, Tina and Anil Ambani, and Haseena and Tony Jethmalani, to the groom’s Kapoor relatives – Kareena Kapoor (with husband Saif Ali Khan and son Taimur), Karisma Kapoor, Randhir and Rajiv Kapoor – they were all there to partake in the celebrations. The baraat had started at 3.30pm at the Grand Hyatt, and in true Kapoor filmy style, had wended its way back to the same venue a good four hours later, after much dancing to Bollywood hits, blaring out of a DJ truck labelled ‘Armaan Di Baraat’.

By the time we reached the venue around 9.30pm, the actual marriage ceremony was underway, as most of Mumbai’s movers and shakers began arriving for the reception, spread over the entire banquet area of the hotel. What’s more, we hear that the guests were in no mood to leave, and the reception carried on till the wee hours of the morning with an after party at the hotel’s popular Chinese eatery.

Besides the array of colourful and exotic flowers from across the world, and the sumptuous banquet serving the couple’s favourite foods, the highlight of the evening was actress Tara Sutaria – who is rumoured to be dating the groom’s brother Aadar Jain – singing ‘Can’t help falling in love with you’ for the newlyweds.

TWEET TALK

He went to a cricket match with Raj Kapoor and Krishna Kapoor. And was in a box to see it. I think you need to stop pointing fingers as there are three that point back at you. I hope Lord Ram can forgive you for being evil and spreading violence.

—Sonam K Ahuja, responding to a troll who pointed out that her dad Anil Kapoor was standing besides Dawood Ibrahim at a cricket match in the Middle East.

TRUE LIES

Oh dear, this well-established suburban private member’s only club is still reeling from what is being described as a recent hair-raising episode. According to sources, the trouble began when one of its members, a middle-aged businessman, decided to check in to one of its rooms after an early morning game of his favourite sport. “He was feeling ‘naughty and wanted to have an assignation,’” is how one of the club’s members coyly put it. What transpired is that he had arranged for a lady to be sent up to his room for the princely pre-decided amount of ₹10K, but to his horror found that the person who had turned up was not a lady by any long stretch of the imagination, but a transvestite. The disappointed businessman is said to have made his displeasure known in no uncertain terms and insisted that he would not pay the amount that had been agreed upon. “The next thing you know is that the transvestite stormed out went to the club’s reception area and created a huge scene demanding the money,” says a source.

Of course, besides the fact that the businessman concerned is supposed to be ‘happily married’ and now has a lot of explanting to do to his livid wife – a prominent business baroness in her own right. He also has to face the ignominy of his club membership being suspended for a period, along with becoming the butt of much laughter from his friends and colleagues.

Anjolie Ela Menon

One man’s art…

According to the grapevine, one of the biggest new projects in the art world – one that is said to bode well for the community currently undergoing a difficult time – is the commissioning of the country’s top artists for massive works by a leading billionaire businessman, for his upcoming office and residence. Said to be helmed by Rajeev Sethi, the man responsible for putting art in the spotlight at the Mumbai international airport, the project is currently underway and progressing at a steady clip. However, if sources are to be believed, not all artists are thrilled. One of those who is said to have been commissioned, is the Delhi-based Anjolie Ela Menon, who was overheard complaining bitterly about IT recently. Apparently, on seeing her exquisite canvas, the client is said to have requested two changes: the first that a pair of breasts be covered up and the second, that the figure of a man belonging to a minority community be removed from the canvas. Expectedly, the progressive and outspoken Menon is far from amused and is said to have, rightly, dug her heels in.

We like.